Without and Within
by curiouscanadian
Summary: With doubts and old enemies haunting him at every step, new leader Sharpstar must confront the demons of his past and of the present, as he struggles to fill the void left by Leafstar's death. {Set after SkyClan and the Stranger, mostly canon-compliant, Sharpclaw(star)-centric}
1. Mourning

Chapter 1: Mourning

Night was still settled over the gorge. Although the days were lengthening, winter's darkness still lingered longer than any of SkyClan would have liked. Beside the river that broke up from the earth sat a single tom, gazing into the water. Any observer would have noticed in a moment the rigidity in his spine and the way his ears were flattened against his head, or the way his eyes, wide and round, cast wildly around at even the whisper of the nearby leaves. Sharpstar had ignored Echosong's calling of his name- his new name, and had staggered blindly into the open air as soon as he could gather the strength. Thankfully, his breathing had slowed, but not his mind. The logical part of him knew this was going to happen; from what he could gather, every Clan leader experienced something powerful during their first ceremony, but never had he realized just how disorienting it would be. A patter of paws behind him caused Sharpstar to turn, his claws sliding out instinctively.

"Sharpstar, it's only me," Echosong said gently, reaching out with her tail to smooth the fur spiking up on his back. "Didn't you hear me calling?"

Sharpstar swallowed. "Sorry, Echosong," he managed to get out after a few moments. "I was just- I mean, I never expected…" He trailed off, realizing that he had started to shake once more. Echosong wordlessly pressed against his flank, guiding him into a crouching position, the warmth of her fur soaking into his chilled body.

"You can talk to me about it, you know. You don't have to be ashamed of how hard you found it."

Sharpstar winced. He should have realized the Echosong of all cats wouldn't be fooled into thinking he was completely all right, and that no amount of posturing could hide how unnerved he felt.

"Leafstar was there." Sharpstar felt once again the heavy grief as he spoke of his leader. "She- she gave me my last life. She looked so strong, Echosong. To think that a cat like her was reduced to a shell- and we couldn't do anything to stop the sickness. Seeing her was like a reminder of how helpless we were, and still are. How can I lead a Clan when I couldn't even help my own leader?" His voice rose bitterly, echoing off the surrounding cliffs.

"Curing Leafstar was not your responsibility, Sharpstar. That falls to me and to Frecklewish. You supported her until the end- she could not have asked for anything more. And I'll bet," a gleam of amusement awoke in the medicine cat's eyes, "that she told you toms are useless anyway, and not to worry about it. Am I right?"

"No."

"Really?" Echosong blinked innocently at her new Clan leader.

"Really." Sharpstar felt heat rising in his face, and turned away to hide it. "She said absolutely nothing of the sort. You're going to have to trust me on this one, Echosong."

The medicine cat let out an amused purr. "I trust you, Sharpstar, but only because Cherrytail's been putting in a good word for you."

"I'll have to remember to thank her." Silence fell again between the two cats, but Sharpstar, despite Echosong's gentle teasing, was still not at ease. Echosong seemed to understand this and waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts.

"I saw someone else, too. Someone I really hadn't expected to. I mean, I hadn't expected to really _see_ anybody-" Echosong tilted her head. "Not that I didn't believe something would happen, of course I did, I knew I would encounter StarClan in some form," he amended hastily. "Just- he was even more of a shock." Sharpstar's voice shook slightly, and Echosong took this as her cue to step in.

"Who was it, Sharpstar?" She asked softly.

"It was Firestar." Echosong's mouth opened in shock. Every SkyClan cat knew about Firestar and his mate Sandstorm, cats who had journeyed a long way from their ThunderClan home to rebuild the scattered remains of a once mighty Clan. Both Echosong and Sharpstar had been among the cats originally recruited by the flame-coloured tom, and Sharpstar was determined that every new member of the Clan, recruited or born, would be taught their Clan's history.

"Oh, Sharpstar," Echosong said sadly, her ears lying flat. "Did you speak to him?"

"Only very briefly," Sharpstar said heavily. "He gave me a life as well, Echosong. Resilience." In the pre-dawn gloom Sharpstar thought he heard a rustling in the bushes on the far side of the river, but when he gazed out he saw nothing. Echosong shifted beside him, blinking furiously.

"We should get some sleep before the sun comes up," Sharpstar suggested. "I definitely feel like I need it, after tonight." Truthfully, he felt wide awake, but had a sudden urge to be alone with his thoughts. Understanding, Echosong nodded and rose, dipping her head to him.

"Come and see me if you can't sleep, Sharpstar." The medicine cat told him as they padded side by aide away from the river. "Or if you want to talk some more. I'll always be there to help, all right?"

Sharpstar nodded in response, and ascended to his den alone. He paused at the entrance to call down to his friend. "Echosong, thank you. For everything."

"Sharpstar, that's the warriors' den," came the reply, and Sharpstar looked confused for a moment before he remembered tonight- and the rest of nights, he would be sleeping along in the den that had belonged first to Firestar and then to Leafstar.

He must still have looked gormless, for the medicine cat pointed with her tail to reinforce the point, and he staggered wearily inside, crashing in a heap on the ferns and other bedding. He meant to try and sort through the thoughts that were chasing each other around inside his head, but while he lay still his eyelids started to prickle and droop. As SkyClan's new leader fell into an uneasy sleep, his nose was filled with the scent of Leafstar.

The next morning, Sharpstar was awoken by a frantic paw prodding him in the side. Spitting out scraps of fern from his previous night's faceplant, he blinked away the haziness of sleep to see the medicine apprentice, Frecklewish, gazing down at him.

"Sharpstar, come quickly- Echosong's had a dream and she says it's urgent." Without waiting for a response, the young she-cat turned and whisked out of the den. Sharpstar hauled himself to his paws, a little miffed that Frecklewish hadn't even asked how he was doing, but far more concerned with the worry he had seen etched into the apprentice's face.

As Sharpstar bounded down the path that zigzagged to the bottom of the gorge, he realized that the sun was just barely peaking over the horizon- it couldn't have been more than a couple of hours since he had last seen Echosong.

He caught a glimpse of the tip of Frecklewish's tail as it vanished into the medicine den, and forced his sleepy paws to carry him faster. When he entered the first thing the tom saw was Echosong, sitting with her tail wrapped over her dainty paws and her face shadowed. Frecklewish glanced between her mentor and her leader before disappearing tactfully into the deeper regions of the den, presumably to where the herbs were stored. Sharpstar uncertainly cleared his throat.  
>"Um, Echosong?"<p>

His friend started and seemed to come out of a reverie. "I'm sorry to wake you, Sharpstar," she breathed, beckoning with her tail for him to come and sit down. "But this couldn't wait. Brackenheart and Spottedleaf came to me in a dream."

"Brackenheart?"

The medicine cat stirred impatiently. "He was the last medicine cat of the original SkyClan, Sharpstar, honestly. Please don't tell me you've forgotten who Spottedleaf is, too."

"I haven't," protested Sharpstar, before he fell silent at a quelling look from Echosong.

"They came with a warning. Or, at least, I think it was a warning." She spoke now with her head down, eyes shut tightly as she strived to remember what had been said. Sharpstar felt a shiver of foreboding.

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! As this is my first story, feedback will be appreciated, although no blatant flames, please. If you don't like something/ see something that's bad (which you probably will), take the time to tell me how to improve so you and others won't see the same mistakes again.


	2. Chapter 2- Companions and Concerns

Chapter 2: Companions and Concerns

Echosong met Sharpstar's gaze evenly, and he was struck by her calm determination. He knew if he got a vision from StarClan he'd be jumping out of his fur, but the medicine cat seemed strangely detached. She spoke in a tranquil, measured voice that did little do quell the chill now creeping down Sharpstar's spine.

"Danger from all sides, both without and within, will rock the sky to its very core. Two storms will collide before dawn breaks again, and old wounds will fester when kin clash with kin."

Sharpstar took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak, but Echosong forestalled him with her paw in the air. "I just want to say that it wasn't my idea for it to rhyme."

The broad-shouldered tom let out a reluctant huff of amusement. "Right. Um, great. Uh, would you run that by me again, please?"

To Sharpstar's immense gratitude, the medicine cat made no wisecracks, but repeated the words as she had done the first time. Sharpstar's throat felt dry, and he felt like the weight of the stone above him was pressing down on his shoulders. "Does that mean anything to you, Echosong?" Asked Sharpstar, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.

"A bit," replied Echosong slowly, the tip of her tail twitching back and forth like a metronome. "The part about the sky rocking, I think that means SkyClan, of course."

Sharpstar nodded his assent. "That makes sense. What about 'two storms will collide'?" Echosong bit her lip.

"I'm really not sure, Sharpstar, I'm sorry."

"That's all right. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

Echosong pulled her tail tightly around her haunches and shrugged. "I don't think so. But I'll mull it over. If anything comes to me, you'll be the first to know. Is it all right with you if I share this with Frecklewish? I just think it would be good for her to think about it, too. You never know, she could help."

Sharpstar rose, dipping his head to the medicine cat. "By all means tell her. But thank you for telling me first."

Echosong rose as well, uncoiling her long, fluffy tail that was so unlike a wild cat's. "We'll be all right, Sharpstar."

The leader gaped at her. Had his fear been that easy to read? Echosong didn't say any more, just watched him with a concerned expression as the tom hurriedly backtracked out of the medicine den. His mind whirling, Sharpstar made his way to the river and bent to lap up a few drops, the cool liquid quenching his thirst and soothing his somewhat frayed nerves. He realised that his paws were shaking and attempted to tuck them out of sight, glancing nervously around the gorge. A flicker of movement caught his eye; cats were streaming from the warriors' den, and gathered in shifting sea of heads around a single tom, who perched on the edge of a sunscorched boulder.

Billystorm's voice drifted to Sharpstar over the morning air. "…For the evening patrol…" Taking a final lap of the crystalline water, Sharpstar padded over to join his Clan, pleased that his new deputy was already taking care of the days' assignments. Billystorm's eyes narrowed curiously as the tomcat saw his leader and he made to pause, but Sharpstar gestured with his tail for his friend to continue, not wanting to be mobbed by his Clan until after the patrols had been sorted. Luckily, none of the other cats seemed to have noticed the exchange, as they were all listening intently. In fact, Sharpstar noticed, Sparrowpelt in particular had given Billystorm his complete attention. The young tom's eyes did not stray from Billystorm, and he sat as a cat carved in stone.

Billystorm's closing words brought Sharpstar back to the present, and he gulped.

"And of course, we all know that last night, our former deputy Sharpclaw took on his nine lives ceremony. As he happens to be standing right behind you all, how about we all welcome him back? From his frazzled expression I'd say all went as it should have."

The Clan turned as one and engulfed their new leader in a flurry of warm flanks and affectionate swipes on the ear. Their voices rose in a disjointed babbling of approval, and most voices rose in a chorus of, "Sharpstar! Sharpstar!" Billystorm stood off to the side, having slid down the rear face of the boulder, and met Sharpstar's gaze warmly.

Sharpstar raised his voice over the clamour. "Thank you, all of you." The throng of cats parted to allow him passage to the Highrock, from which he had watched Firestar, Sandstorm, Skywatcher and eventually Leafstar address the Clan or, in Firestar's case, the beginning pieces of the Clan. The rock cast a harsh, intimidating shadow now that the sun had risen higher. When Sharpstar stood in it he felt ominously cold, like the shade itself as sucking the warmth from his body. Gathering beneath him his thickly muscled haunches, the new leader of SkyClan made a great leap, his body surging upward and bending to come to rest on the pinnacle of the rock's height. The tom felt his paws slip into grooves that felt surprisingly familiar, like he had always stood there before.

SkyClan's excited babbling fell silent as Sharpstar cleared his throat to speak. He caught a glimpse of Cherrytail gazing proudly up at him before she bent to lick at the fur over her wide belly. Heartened by the sight of his mate, Sharpstar pushed his worries temporarily behind him.

"Last night, as you all know, Echosong accompanied me to my nine lives ceremony. As Billystorm so keenly pointed out," he shot a glance at his deputy, who returned a playfully insolent one of his own, "everything did go as it should have. I received my nine lives and my name, and stand before you now no longer as Sharpclaw, but as Sharpstar. I want you all to know that I'll do my best for our Clan, and will honour all the cats who have died making SkyClan what it is. Especially Leafstar. I can't hope to fill her paw prints, but I'll be proud to follow their lead. We've endured so much together, from our very first meeting in the gorge until now. We have much to fight for, and much to protect. Nothing means more to me than my Clan and my Clanmates."

Sharpstar waved his tail to indicate that they were dismissed, and the meeting broke up into groups, with some cats drifting toward the river, the fresh-kill pile, or coming together for the patrols assigned by Billystorm. Sharpstar leaped down from the rock, relieved, and headed straight for Cherrytail, who was padding unhurriedly up the slope to the nursery. She stopped and waited for him, a purr rumbling from deep in her chest. Sharpstar twined his tail with hers and pressed his head into the soft fur of her chest like a kit, drawing in her warm, familiar scent. "I need to tell you something," he muttered, his voice muffled. "It's not exactly good news."

Cherrytail drew back in surprise. "Oh?" She said, tilting her head and fixing him with her bright, sharp gaze. "Is it the sort of thing we should talk about in private?" She gestured to the nursery. "Clovertail's down by the river with Leafstar's three- have they ever grown- so it'll be empty.

"Sounds great," agreed Sharpstar, and he followed his mate into the dim and milky smelling nursery. Cherrytail positioned herself awkwardly on her nest, shuffling and adjusting her seat to compensate for her large belly.

"These kits of yours are getting almost too big for me to carry," she said, only half-jokingly. "Frecklewish says I could kit any day now. You're going to be a father very soon, Sharpstar."

"And you'll be a wonderful mother, although I'm going to miss you on hunting patrol," replied Sharpstar.

"Flatterer. Now hurry up and tell me what you need to- I can't spend all day chatting." She blinked affectionately at him and flopped ungracefully onto her side.

"Just after my ceremony Frecklewish came to get me in Leafstar's –my- den. Echosong had sent her to find me. When I got to the medicine den she told me that StarClan had sent her a dream, or a vision, or whatever. She said it was a warning."

Cherrytail was shocked, but managed to reach out with her paw and stroke his side comfortingly. "Go on," she prompted. "Don't leave me hanging."

"The warning was 'Danger from all sides, both without and within, will rock the sky to its very core. Two storms will collide before dawn breaks again, and old wounds will fester when kin clash with kin.' The only thing we can work out is that 'the sky' probably refers to the Clan, although that's kind of redundant seeing as it was sent to SkyClan's medicine cat in the first place."

Cherrytail sighed. "You'd think that, after dealing with Sol and the flood and the rogues, we'd have earned some peacetime."

"I'm scared, Cherrytail," Sharpstar said suddenly. "I thought about being a leader when I was younger, back when Firestar first invited me to the Clan. I thought that having nine lives would make you powerful, invincible even. But here I am with nine lives, and I just feel more vulnerable than ever. I guess I never realized how much I would grow to care for the Clan. And it hurts to know that there's danger coming and I don't know what to do. It's barely been a day and already I'm floundering."

Cherrytail let out a low hiss, her tail lashing. "Stop it, Sharpstar. All you know so far is what Echosong told you. We haven't even noticed any problems in the Clan, Leafstar's death aside. Don't work yourself into a state before there's anything to face."

Silently miffed, Sharpstar crossed his paws, not wanting to admit the sense in her rebuttal. He could always count on Cherrytail to be blunt. That, among many other reasons, was why he loved her so.

"Thanks," he said earnestly after a moment of introspective thought. "I needed to hear that." Cherrytail just shrugged.

"All in a day's work, oh gracious leader. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I could use some more sleep. These kits of ours kept me up all night with their kicking." She bared alabaster teeth in a dainty yawn and, with an affectionate lick to his forehead, curled up to sleep. Sharpstar stood and made his way out of the sun, blinking as the sun hit him like a wall, soaking into his pelt until he thought it might blaze into flames. A sudden hiss and a returning snarl startled him as the sounds echoed up from the bottom of the gorge. Frantically blinking away the sunspots clouding his vision, Sharpstar bounded down the hill and landed hard on the flat-packed sand. Billystorm and Sparrowpelt were facing each other, hackles raised and lips drawn back to reveal their teeth. Ebonyclaw stood at Billystorm's side, spitting defiance at Sparrowpelt, and Waspwhisker and Bouncefire, horrorstruck, looked on.

Sharpstar unsheathed his claws and bounded between the quarrelling toms, striking Sparrowpelt with his shoulder to force him away from Billystorm. "What in StarClan's name is going on here?" Demanded SkyClan's leader. He stared at Sparrowpelt but the younger cat would not look at him. Swinging around to his deputy, he saw that Billystorm looked both angry and hurt. "Billystorm?"

"Just a bit of tension, I guess," muttered Billystorm. "Sparrowpelt seems to think you were deluded in your choice of deputy."

Sharpstar gritted his teeth. "And, pray tell, what gives him the right to question my decision behind my back?"

Billystorm straightened his spine and looked coldly at Sparrowpelt. "I don't know, but I told him that he should take it up with you, rather than attacking me about something I didn't choose. Well, Sparrowpelt, Sharpstar is here now. Why don't you go ahead and make your complaint?"

Sparrowpelt lashed his tail and dug his claws into the earth. When he spoke his voice was trembling with barely supressed rage. "You chose a daylight warrior as a deputy, Sharpstar. Over many more experienced, gorge-born cats who didn't try to run away, back to their precious little housefolk. How can we trust a cat who would threaten to take his kits away from their mother?"


End file.
